Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 35:14
I behaved myself as though [he had been] my friend [or] brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth [for his] mother.
14. Better with R.V.
I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother:
I bowed down mourning, as one that bewaileth his mother.
Had they been his nearest and dearest, he could not have displayed deeper grief. The verse would be improved by a slight transposition (which is supported by Psa 38:6), thus; I bowed down (descriptive of the mourner’s gait with the head bowed down by the load of sorrow) I went mourning (like Lat. squalidus, of all the outward signs of grief, dark clothes, tear-stained unwashed face, untrimmed hair and beard see 2Sa 19:24).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I behaved myself – Margin, as in Hebrew: I walked. The word walk, in the Scriptures, is often used to denote a course of conduct; the way in which a man lives and acts: Phi 3:18; Gal 2:14; 1Th 4:12; 2Th 3:11. It is not improperly rendered here, I behaved myself.
As though he had been my friend or brother – Margin, as in Hebrew: as a friend, as a brother to me. This shows that these persons were not his near relations, but that they were his intheate friends, or were supposed to be so. He felt and acted toward them as though they had been his nearest relations.
I bowed down heavily – Prof. Alexander renders this, Squalid I bowed down. The word rendered I bowed down refers to the condition of one who is oppressed with grief, or who sinks under it. All have felt this effect of grief, when the head is bowed; when the frame is bent; when one under the pressure throws himself on a couch or on the ground. The word rendered heavily – qoder – is derived from a word – qadar – which means to be turbid or foul, as a torrent: Job 6:16; and then, to mourn, or to go about in filthy garments or sackcloth as mourners: Job 5:11; Jer 14:2; Psa 38:6; Psa 42:9; and then, to be of a dirty, dusky color, as the skin is that is scorched by the sun: Job 30:28. It is rendered black in Jer 4:28; Jer 8:21; 1Ki 18:45; Jer 14:2; blackish, Job 6:16; dark, Joe 2:10; Mic 3:6; Eze 32:7-8; darkened, Joe 3:15; mourn and mourning. Job 5:11; Job 30:28; Psa 38:6; Psa 42:9; Psa 43:2; Eze 31:15; and heavily only in this place. The idea here is that of one appearing in the usual aspect and habiliments of mourning. He had a sad countenance; he had put on the garments that were indicative of grief; and thus he walked about.
As one that mourneth for his mother – The psalmist here evidently designs to illustrate the depth of his own sorrow by a reference to the deepest kind of grief which we ever experience. The sorrow for a mother is special, and there is no grief which a man feels more deeply or keenly than this. We have but one mother to lose, and thousands of most tender recollections come into the memory when she dies. While she lived we had always one friend to whom we could tell everything – to whom we could communicate all our joys, and of whose sympathy we were certain in all our sorrows, however trivial in their own nature they might be. Whoever might be indifferent to us, whoever might turn away from us in our troubles, whoever might feel that our affairs were not worth regarding, we were sure that she would not be the one; we were always certain that she would feel an interest in whatever concerned us. Even those things which we felt could be scarcely worth a fathers attention we could freely communicate to her, for we were sure there was nothing that pertained to us that was too insignificant for her to regard, and we went and freely told all to her. And then, how much has a mother done for us! All the ideas that we have of tenderness, affection, self-denial, patience, and gentleness, are closely connected with the recollection of a mother, for we have, in our early years, seen more of these tilings in her than in perhaps all other persons together. Though, therefore, we weep when a father dies, and though, in the formation of our character, we may have been more indebted to him than to her, yet our grief for him when he dies is different from that which we feel when a mother dies. We, indeed, reverence and honor and love him, but we are conscious of quite a different feeling from that which we have when a mother is removed by death.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 35:14
I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother.
The duty of surviving children to the memory of pious and departed mothers
I. some general observations on the text.
1. It displays a beautiful combination of apparently opposite virtues in the same character. Undaunted courage and yet loving tenderness.
2. A gradation in the claims of relative attachment. The mother has stronger claims than any friend, though he be one who sticketh closer than a brother.
3. The loss of an excellent and pious mother is a most afflictive calamity, especially at some periods of her childrens life–as infancy and youth.
II. the regard which a bereaved family should show to the memory of a good mother.
1. Retrace with gratitude her loving care.
2. Recall to remembrance the efforts she made to promote your best welfare.
3. Imitate her.
4. Cultivate all those principles, and that character, which were in her, and which shall prepare you to meet her in heaven. (John Clayton, A. M.)
The death of a mother
I. what is there in the death of a mother that excites peculiar sorrow?
1. The want of the expressions of a mothers affection makes the heart bow down heavily for her loss.
2. The loss of a mothers care, and of its ministrations, excites this regret.
3. The loss of a mothers sympathy and its soothing expressions excites this sorrow.
4. The heart mourns for the loss of the counsels of a mothers wisdom.
5. The affectionate heart mourns for the loss of the lessons of a mothers piety.
II. where consolation is to be sought and obtained under such a calamity.
1. There is consolation in the thought that it comes to you by the appointment of God.
2. There is consolation in the thought that all the benefits which you derived from so dear a relative, are to be found in God. In Him every blessing which the creature can yield us is to be found in richer abundance, and in a nobler form.
3. Consolation will be obtained by you in the fulfilment of their wishes and purposes.
4. Consolation will be found in the imitation of their virtues.
5. There is comfort in the belief that a departed mother is happy, and in the hope of a reunion. (H. Belfrage.)
On the death of a mother
The death of a true mother is a great event in the life of any one. It can occur but once in a lifetime. When it takes place in childhood, it is a sore calamity. A father can never supply a mothers place; seldom can any one else but very imperfectly.
I. A mothers death reminds us most strongly of the peculiar blessings conferred by God through the maternal relation. A mothers influence is the first felt: it acts at the very fountain-head of life, it is gentle, tender, winning. Her smile greets the first dawn of intelligence: her voice is the first guide and encouragement to infant speech; her hand invites and sustains the first infant steps. From the pious mothers lips her children first learn the name of Jesus, and the words of prayer; from her example and instruction they receive the elements of virtue.
II. the death of a mother occasions bitter recollections of filial disobedience and neglect.
III. the death of a mother breaks up the home of our early days, and makes us feel that we are only sojourners here.
IV. the death of a mother, especially of an aged mother, is adapted to make us sensible of our nearness to another world. Conclusion.
1. I appeal to fathers. Remember what you owe your mothers, and teach your children, especially your sons, the deepest reverence for their mothers.
2. I appeal to mothers. Cherish a deep and constant sense of your own importance to your children, especially to your sons.
3. I appeal to those who have mothers living, especially to sons in early life. I entreat you, each of you, as you value your well-being for time and eternity, study well the will of God concerning your duty to your mothers, and strive to fulfil it. (J. M. Johnson.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 14. Mourneth for his mother.] caabel em, as a mourning mother. How expressive is this word!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I behaved myself, Heb. I walked; either to him, to visit and comfort him; or about the streets, whither my occasions led me. Though walking is oft put for a mans carriage or conversation.
I bowed down; went hanging down my head, as mourners used to do, Isa 58:5.
Mother; he mentions the mother rather than the father, either because her tender affection, and care, and kindness to him had more won upon his heart, and made him more sensible of the loss; or because, through the depravation of mans nature, children are many times less sensible of their fathers loss or death, because it is compensated with some advantage to themselves; which doth not usually happen upon the mothers death. Some render it, as a mourning mother, for the loss of her son. But this doth not seem to suit so well with the order of the Hebrew words.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. behavedliterally, “wenton”denoting his habit.
heavilyor,”squalidly,” his sorrowing occasioning neglect of hisperson. Altogether, his grief was that of one for a dearly lovedrelative.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I behaved myself as though [he had been] my friend [or] brother,…. Meaning either Saul or Doeg the Edomite, or some such evil man; somewhat like this he says of Ahithophel, Ps 41:9; and Arama thinks he is meant here; as Christ of Judas, whom he called friend, when he came to betray him; and who not only ate with him at table of his bread, but was steward of his family, and carried the bag,
Mt 26:50;
I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth [for his] mother; or as a mother that mourneth for her son, as Jarchi interprets it, whose affections are very strong; and thus Christ wept over Jerusalem, and had a tender concern for and sympathy with the Jews, his implacable enemies, and wept over them, and prayed for them, Lu 19:41.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(14) I bowed down heavily.Better, I went squalid, and bowed down, alluding to the neglected beard and person, and to the dust and ashes of Oriental mourning.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Friend brother mother The gradations and climax are complete.
I bowed down The natural bodily expression of real sorrow. See Pro 12:25.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 35:14. As one that mourneth, &c. As a mourning mother.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 35:14 I behaved myself as though [he had been] my friend [or] brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth [for his] mother.
Ver. 14. I behaved myself as though he had been, &c. ] My brother a thousand times. This was much to do to an enemy; but possibly all this might be before they fell out.
I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
I behaved: etc. Heb. I walked as a friend, as brother to me, I bowed. 2Sa 1:11, 2Sa 1:12, 2Sa 1:17-27, Luk 19:41, Luk 19:42
as one: Or, “as a mourning mother,” kaavel aim. Gen 24:67
Reciprocal: Gen 27:41 – The days 1Ch 21:16 – clothed Job 17:2 – mockers Job 30:25 – Did not I Job 31:29 – General Psa 38:6 – bowed Psa 42:5 – Why art thou cast down Psa 69:11 – I made Psa 109:24 – knees Mat 5:44 – General Act 16:28 – cried Rom 12:15 – weep
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 35:14. I behaved myself Hebrew, , hithhalacti, I caused myself to walk, namely, to visit and comfort him; or, I conducted myself toward him, as though he had been my friend, &c. As if I had been in danger of losing a friend or brother. I bowed down heavily Went hanging down my head as mourners used to do, Isa 58:5; as one that mourneth for his mother I could not have looked more dejected if I had bewailed the death of the dearest mother.